During 2017, almost 38,900 refugees were submitted by UNHCR for resettlement1 to 25 countries in Europe,2 36% more than during 2016 and over three times greater than the average rate of 12,400 submissions per year during the last decade.
Between 2007 and 2016, Europe’s proportion of resettlement sub-missions globally has increased from approximately 9% to more than 18%, and in 2017 reached 52%. This is primarily due to a significant decrease globally in new submissions for resettlement, most notably to the United States of America.

Until 28 February 2017, there were 13,439 cumulative arrivals to Italy, compared to 9,101 arrivals recorded in the same month in 2016 (a 48% increase). Greece has seen a 98% lower number of arrivals in February 2017 when compared to the same period in 2016, 2,611 and 125,494 respectively.

According to available data, there have been 17,479 new arrivals to Greece, Italy and Bulgaria, as countries of first arrival to Europe since the beginning of 2017 till 28 of February 2017.

In a new report, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, details the impact of the increased border restrictions introduced in 2016 on refugee and migrant movements towards and inside Europe. It shows that people continued to move but undertook more diversified and dangerous journeys, often relying on smugglers because of the lack of accessible legal ways to Europe.

Until 31 January 2017, there were 4,480 cumulative arrivals to Italy, compared to 5,273 arrivals recorded in the same month in 2016 (a 15% decrease). Greece has seen a 97% lower number of arrivals in January 2017 when compared to the same period in 2016, 1,387 and 67,954 respectively.

According to available data, there have been 11,233 new arrivals to Greece, Italy and Bulgaria, as countries of first arrival to Europe since the beginning of 2017 till 8 of February 2017.

The total number of arrivals to Europe by the end of December 2016 has been recorded as 387,739. This is in stark contrast to the 1, 046,599 arrivals recorded in 2015. The decrease in numbers of arrivals can be observed across many of the countries which saw the highest numbers of arrivals in 2015. In Greece 2016 brought 176,906 arrivals compared to the 857,363 recorded in 2015, a 79% decrease, while Italy saw a slight (16%) rise in numbers of arri-vals, from 155,842 in 2015 to 181,436 in 2016.

Over the reporting period (31 March –6 April) countries of first arrival (Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria) saw an average decrease of 33% in numbers of arrivals compared with the previous week. In particular, Italy saw a 59% decrease compared to previous week.

The total number of migrants and refugees stranded in Greece and in the Western Balkans is 57,812. For a more detailed look, please see the accommodation pages of Greece, fYROM, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia.

The total number of migrants and refugees stranded in Greece and in the Western Balkans is 56,578. For a more detailed look, please see the accommodation pages of Greece, fYROM, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia.

On 18 March , EU leaders met with their Turkish counterpart, Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmed Davutoğlu. They reached an agreement aimed at stopping the flow of irregular migration via Turkey to Europe. The main action points of the agreement are available, please see page 9.

Violent conflicts, terrorism, long-standing repressive regimes, chronic poverty and inequality have driven an unprecedented number of refugees and migrants to Europe. Those making the journey are assisted by an increasingly violent and opportunistic smuggling industry. Sustainable profits made by this industry have allowed transnational networks to develop where they previously did not exist, with serious implications for human security and state stability.

Switzerland - IOM has released an update to its June 2015 response plan “Addressing Complex Migration Flows in the Mediterranean.” It includes a series of proposed interventions to be implemented through December 2016, some of which are already underway, others are still at the planning stage.